Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will launch the PM SHRI School scheme in Odisha on November 19.
Altogether 37 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 26 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in Odisha have been upgraded under the centrally-sponsored scheme. The Union Education Minister will launch these upgraded schools at an event at Railway Auditorium in the Odisha capital here on November 19.
These schools will showcase all the components of the National Education Policy (NEP)-2022 and provide high-quality education in equitable, inclusive and joyful environment, sources said.
Hon’ble Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri @dpradhanbjp will launch 37 PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalayas & 26 PM SHRI Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in Odisha. PM SHRI schools will showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020… pic.twitter.com/pQ97KWoGuI
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) November 18, 2023
The Union Education Minister has written thrice to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urging the latter to take the necessary steps for implementation of PM SHRI scheme in Odisha schools.
The Centre had launched PM SHRI School scheme on September 7, 2022 to develop as many as 14,500 schools with all modern infrastructure.
The Centre had requested all the states and Union Territories (UTs) to sign MoUs with the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) at the Ministry of Education for implementation of the PM SHRI School scheme.
However, the Odisha government is yet to sign the MoU with the DoSEL for implementation of the scheme in the state, Pradhan had said in his letter to Odisha CM on November 15.
Earlier in the day, Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that Odisha will be deprived of central assistance to the tune of Rs 1,600 crore if steps are not taken to implement the PM SHRI School scheme in the state.
“Altogether 800 government schools in Odisha were supposed to be developed under the PM SHRI scheme. Each of these schools would get Rs 2 crore from the Centre for infrastructure upgradation. Odisha will lose Rs 1,600 crore assistance from the Centre if the scheme is not implemented in the state. Moreover, at least 1 lakh students in Odisha will be deprived of better quality education,” said BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal.
